Means for operating elevator doors



Jul 30, 1929. P. LANG 1,722,332

MEANS FOR OPERATING ELEVATOR DOORS Filed May 26, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 111 mmmmmun wvewl oz I I W uhywwq;

July 30, 1929. P. LANG MEANS FOR OPERATING ELEVATOR DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1927 July 30, 1929. P. LANG MEANS FOR OPERATING ELEVATOR DOORS Filed May 26, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 3@, 1929.

PHILIP LANG, OF CEDAR FALLS, IOWA.

MEANS FOR OPERATING ELEVATOR DOURS.

Application filed May 26,

My invention relates to improvements in means for operating elevator doors.

The object of my invention is to p oviole an elevator door operating means which can be operated by h and or by a motor, and in which the movement of the door in both directions is retarded by the ordinary well known liquid type of door check, and in which the door is auton'iatically closed by the spring surrounding the upper door check.

Another object of my invention is to provide a single motor carried by the elevator and adapted to be operatively connected with the door operating means at each landing in the elevator shaft, and thus greatly reduce the cost of installation due to the fact that (h ere is but a single motor for each elevator shaft.

A further object of my invention is to provide an elevator door operating means in which the motor is slowly thrown into enement with the door operating means to prevent any noise, and the door will be gradually opened, and when disconnected from the operating means the door will be gradually closed and retarded by the liquid type of check.

A still further object of my invention isto provide means cooperating with the motor and controlling the circuit to the lifting motors so that the elevator can not be started when the door operating motor is connected to the door operating means carried by the elevator shaft.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an elevator door operating means in which the door is operated by a cylinder piston, and in which the first part of the movement of the piston is very slow to cause the gradual interlocking of the operating means to prevent and gradually increase the speed to cause the door to open fairly rapidly.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means whereby a'portion of the interlocking means between the motor on the elevator and the door operating means will give away should the car he started while the motor is interlocked with the door operating means carried by the elevator shaft.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap and effective elevator door operatingmeans of this character 1927. Serial No. 194,497.

having certain details of structure and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described. V

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an elevator shaft showing my improved operating means carried by the elevator shaft and showing the door in a closed position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view similarto Figure 1, showing the door broken away and showingthe operating means in a position with the door open.

Figure 3 is a horizontal enlarged sectional view of the elevator shaft and elevator showing the motor mounted on the elevator, and disconnected from the door operating means.

Figure t is a side view of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the cylinder motor for operating the door and showing the fluid supply pipe and valve controlling the fluid to the cylinder.

While I have shown my improved door operating means as applied to a single door it will be seen that it can be used on any style of door or doors. That is, it is applicable to two or three door arrangements of any char actor in which the doors are connected together in any manner, to move in the same direction or in opposite directions.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents the elevator shaft having a door opening 52 therein, closed by the door 3, which may be mounted in any desired manner to have a horizontal sliding movement to allow for the opening and closing of the door. .Pivoted to the inner face of the door 3, at 4l,'is the lever 5 having at one end the handle 6, and the opposite end pivoted at 7 to the link 8. The outer end of the link 8 is pivoted at 9 to the bracket 10, carried by the elevator shaft 1. The link 8 is provided with a downwardly extending rigid arm 11 to which is pivoted at 12, the downwardly extending operating rod 13. The elevator shaft 1, above the bracket 10, is provided with bracket 14 to which is pivoted at 15 the rod 16 of the door checking and closing device 17. The lower end of the door closing and checking device is pivoted at 18 to the rigid arm 11, carried by the link 8, the operation of which will be here-' inafter more fully described. Pivotally mounted upon the pivot 18 is the piston rod 19 of the fluid door check 20. Thefiuid door check cylinder 20 is pivoted at 21 to the bracket 22 mounted on the elevator shaft, as shown .in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. From the foregoing description it will be seen that the pivoted joint 7 of the lever 5 and link 8 is broken either by the downward movement of the handle 6 or the upward movement of the operating rod 13. The link 8 swings upwardly upon its pivot 9 carrying with it the spring closer 17 which compresses the spring 23 and retards the opening movement of the door. The moment the pressure is released from the handle (3 or the operating rod 13, the spring 23 exerts a downward pressure on the arm 11 causing the link 8 to move downwardly and close the door. The downward movement of the link 8 is retarded by the piston rod 19, the piston of which is checked by fluid in the cylinder 20, therefore the closing movement is retarded. By this structure it will be seen that the moven'ient of the link 8 in either direction is retarded so that the door will not slam when opening and closing the same. The elevator 24 carries at one side a bracket 25 in which is mounted the fluid cylinder 26. This cylinder 26, as shown, is closed at its lower end by a cylinder head 27 provided with an inlet opening 28 which has connected thereto the itiexible fluid supply pipe 29. The pipe 29 extends into the car or may be at a point adjacent the door so that the valve 30 can be operated for admitting pressure to the lower end of the operating cylinder 26. The flexible pipe 29 is of a length so that it can allow the elevator to travel from the bottom of the shaft to the topand is looped similar to the cables which supply the light and current to the ordinary electric elevator. Arranged within the cylinders 26 is a piston 31 to which is pivotally connected, at 32, the piston rod 33 which has its upper end arranged at an angle as indicated at 33 and extending out through the slot 34 in the cylinder head 35.

The operating rod 13, pivoted to the arm 11 of the link 8, has its lower end pivoted at 36 to a rack 37 sliding in the guide 38 carried by the bracket 39, secured to the elevator shaft 1. The upper angular end 33 of the piston rod 33 has pivotally connected at 40 the shoe 41 provided with teeth 42 which are adapted to engage the rack 37, and force the same upwardly when the piston is moved upwardly to raise the rod 13 for operating the link 8 as has been heretofore described. In order to allow for a slow movement of the piston rod 33 on the first part of its upward movement, the opening 28 in the cylinder head 27 is provided with a contracted opening 43 closed by a ball valve 44, which ball is held closed by the spring 45. The opening 28 has an inclined passage 46 communicating therewith and which communicates with the recess 47. The recess 47 has arranged therein a diaphragm 48 against which bears a spring 49, and which tends to hold the diaphragm inwardly, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. The diaphragm 48 is provided with an arm 50 which engages the ball valve 51 and normally holds the same in a position to close the passage 46, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. Communicating with the passage 46 is a very small passage 52 which communicates with the lower end of the cylinder below the piston. From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the valve 30 is turned to admit pressure through the pipe 29 to the opening 28, the pressure of the fluid and spring 45 holds the ball valve 44 closed so that the fluid can not pass into the cylinder through the opening 43. The liquid passes through the opening 28 into the passage 46 and through the small passage 52 and to the cylinder, and gradually forces the piston upwardly. The upward movement of the piston causes the angular portion 33 of the piston rod to engage the wall of the opening 34 of the cylinder head 35 and causes the piston to swing on its pivot so that the piston rod is swung to the right, causing the shoe 41 to gradually engage the rack 37. This engagement is rather slow, and as soon as the dog is interlocked with the rack and there is an increasing pressure in the cylinder below the piston the pressure passes through the opening 53 to the enlarged space 47 in the cylinder head and engages the diaphragm 48, causing it to be forced outwardly and unseat the ball valve 51 so that a larger flow of fluid can pass through the opening 46 into the recess 47 and out through the openin 53 to the piston, so that the increased power and speed is obtained for the piston for increasing the power and speed for operating the door. When the door is to be closed the valve 30 is operated so that the fluid pressure in the pipe 29 is released and the pressure in the cylinder below the piston 31 unseats the valve 44 and allows the fluid to pass from the lower end of the cylinder through the opening 43 and out through the pipe 29. It will thus be seen that the first part of the movement of the piston rod is very slow to cause a slow engagement of the dog with the rack.

The pin 40 connecting the shoe 41 with the piston rod is made of very soft metal so that it will shear off if the elevator is started when the shoe 41 is in engagement with the rack. In order to prevent the starting of the elevator when the shoe 41 is in engagement with the rack the angular portion 33 of the piston rod is provided with a switch 54 cooperating with the blades 55 which control the electric current in the wires 56 and 57, leading from the control in the car so that the elevator can not be started when the shoe is in engagement with the rack. lVhen the shoe is in engagement with the rack the knife switch 54 will be away from the members 55 of the switch and the circuit to the motor from the controller is broken.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. The combination with a door and operating mechanism, a rack connected to said operating mechanism, a fluid pressure cylinthe elevator and adapted to be automatically connected and disconnected with any one of the door operating mechanisms, by the reciprocation thereof for operating the door.

3. The combination .with an elevator shaft having a series of door openings, a door for each opening, a separate operating means carried by the elevator shaft for each door, an elevator vertically movable in the shaft, a fluid pressure cylinder carried by the elevator, a piston rod operating from within the cylinder and adapted to be automatically connected and disconnected with any one of the operating mechanisms by the longitudinal movement'of the piston rod for opening the door, and spring means for closing the door.

4. The combination with a door and operating mechanism, spring means for closing the door, a fluid pressure cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod pivotally connected to the piston, and means operated by the movement of the piston for connecting it to the door operating mechanism for opening the door and to be disengaged therefrom by the movement of the piston in the opposite direction.

The combination with a door and operating mechanism, spring means for closing the door, a fluid pressure cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod pivotally connected to the piston, and having its upper end ext-ending at an angle to the cylinder and adapted to engage a portion of the cylinder for causing the lateral movement thereto to cause the piston rod to interlock with the operating mechanism for operating the door, and to be disengaged from said operating mechanism by the movement of the piston rod in the oppo- .site direction.

6. The combination with a door and operating mechanism, spring means for retarding the opening movement of the door and closing the door, a fluid check for retarding the closing movement of the door, a fluid pressure reciprocating motor adapted to engage said operating means upon the movement of the same in one direction for opening the door,

and to be disengaged therefrom by the movement of the motor in the opposite direct-ion.

7 The combination with a door and operating mechanism, a fluid pressure motor adapt ed to have a slow movement to engage the operating mechanism, and a faster movement to cause the opening of the door, and spring means for closing the door.

8. The combination With a door and operating mechanism, a fluid pressure reciprocating motor having a slow movement to engage said operating mechanism, and a faster movement for opening the door, and spring means for closing the door.

9. The combination with an elevator shaft having a series of door openings, a door for each opening, a separate operating means carried by the elevator shaft for each door, a rack connected to the operating means, an elevator vertically movable in the shaft, and a fluid pressure reciprocating motor carried by the elevator and adapted to be automatically connected and disconnected with any one of the racks of the door operating mechanism for operating the door.

10. The combination with an elevator shaft having a series of doors, a separate operating means carried by the elevator shaft for each door, a. spring check for retarding the opening movement of the door and closing the door, a check for retarding the closing movement of the door, an elevator vertically movable in the shaft, and a motor carried by the elevator car and adapted to be automatically connected and disconnected with any one of the door operating mechanisms for opening the door.

11. The combination With an elevator shaft having a series of door openings, a door for each opening, a separate operating means carried by the elevator shaft for each door, a rack connected with each operating means, an elevator vertically movable in the shaft, and a fluid pressure reciprocating motor carried by the elevator, and having a shoe adapted to automatically engage the rack of any one of the operating means for moving the same for opening the door, and adapted to be disconnected therefrom by its movement in the opposite direction.

12. The combination with an elevator shaft having a door opening, a door for said opening, an operating means for the door, a fluid pressure cylinder, a piston therein, a pivoted piston rod extending from the cylinder, and having its upper end extending at an angle and adapted to engage the head of the cylinder for moving it laterally in engagement with the door operating means, whereby the door is opened and automatically disengaged therefrom by the movement in the opposite direction.

13. The combination with a door and its operating means, of a fluid cylinder adjacent thereto, a piston therein, a piston rod pivoted to the piston and extending out through the cylinder head and having an oblique portion adapted to engage the cylinder head for moving the same laterally to cause it to engage the door operating means for opening the door, and fluid pressure means connected to the lower end of the cylinder below the piston for causing the slow movement of the piston on the first part of its stroke, and to automatically increase the speed of the piston.

14. The con'ibination Witha door and its operating means, of a fluid pressure cylinder, a piston therein, a piston rod pivotally connected to the piston and extending out through the cylinder, and having an oblique upper end adapted to engage the head of the cylinder to cause a lateral movement thereof, whereby the piston rod engages the operating means for opening the door, a fluid pressure supply for the lower end of the cylinder, means for supplying a small amount of fluid to the cylinder to cause the cylinder to move slow and means for increasing the supply of fluid to the cylinder by the check pressure on the piston to cause an increased movement of the piston for opening the door.

15. The combination with a door and its operating means, a fluid motor adapted to be engaged and disengaged on the operating means for opening the door, a fluid supply for the motor and automatic means for causing the slow movement of the motor at the beginning, and automatically increasing the speed to open the door.

16. The combination with an elevator shaft, having a series of door openings, a door for each opening, a separate operating means carried by the elevator shaft for each door, a rack connected to each operating means, an elevator vertically movable in the shaft, and a fluid pressure reciprocating motor carried by the elevator, and having a pivoted shoe adapted to automatically engage and disengage with any one of the racks for operating the door operating means foropening the door.

17. The combination with an elevator shaft having a series of door openings, a door for each opening, a separate operating means carried by the elevator shaft for each door, a rack connected with each operating means, an elevator vertically movable in the shaft, a fluid pressure reciprocating motor carried by the elevator, and having a pivoted shoe adapted to be automatically connected and disconnected with any one of the racks for opening the door.

18. The combination with a door and operating means, spring means for closing the door, a rack connected to the operating means, an elevator, a fluid motor carried by the elevator and having piston rod carrying a dog adapted to engage the rack for moving the same for opening the door.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

PHILIP LANG. 

